Freestone pitter



July 21, 1964 KlLNER ETAL 3,141,483

FREESTONE PITTER Filed May 31, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet l 16 3 INVENTORS GEORGE E. K/L/VER BY JQSEPH PERRELL/ 8% -wovJ A T TO/PNEVS July 21, 1964 G. E. KILNER ETAL 3,141,483

FREESTONE PITTER Filed May 31, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG- 2 INVENTORS GEORGE E. K/LNER BY vQSEP/I' PERRELL/ 8, 11, 777% A T TO/PNE VS July 21, 1964 Filed May 31, 1961 G. E. KILNER ETAL FREESTONE PITTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS' GEORGE E K/LNER' JOSEPH-PERRELL/ July 21, 1964 KILNER ETAL 3,141,483

FREESTONE PITTER Filed May 31, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 5" I INVENTORS GEORGE E. K/LNER Y JQSEPH PERRELL/ v 5w 140m! A T TORNEVS y 1964 G. E. KILNER ETAL 3,141,483

FREESTONE PITTER Filed May :51, 1961 e Sheets-Sheet e ATTORNEYS ll5 INVENTORS 1Q GEORGE E. K/L/VER BY JOSEPH PERRELL/ 57 m J United States Patent Inc, San Ramon, Calif.

Filed May 31, 1961, Ser. No. 113,871 8 Claims. (Cl. 146-28) This invention relates to a freestone pitting machine, and has for one of its objects the provision of a freestone pitting machine that has improved features over the machine disclosed in our copending application Serial No. 44,644, filed July 22, 1960.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of an improved freestone pitting machine that is positive in its action in holding the drupe halves from the initial engagement of the outer surfaces of the drupe with drupe clamping means until the pit has been removed from the drupe halves.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improved means in a drupe pitter for automatically positioning and positively clamping drupes of different sizes.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of structure in a freestone drupe pitter that simplifies the feeding of drupe halves to bisecting and drupe separating blades that bisect, hold and separate the drupe halves from each other.

Another object is the provision of an improved feeding means for feeding drupe halves to a pitting mechanism in a predetermined position for pitting the drupe, and which feeding means performs a part of the drupe bisecting step.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and drawings.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the pitter, in which the feed device is removed so as not to obscure the pitting mechanism, the arm for the feed device being indicated in cross section at the lower part of the drawing.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the rear side of the body of the pitter, which is the side opposite to that shown in FIG. 1. The housing covering this rear side is removed to show the structure.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view showing in elevation, part of the mechanism of FIG. 1 in which the parts are in a drupe holding position with the drupe impaled on the opposedly engaged bisecting blades.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5, with the parts in a position in which the pit has just been ejected from the drupe halves. In this view the drupe clamps are simplified.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of the drupe feeding cup or support that is seen in side elevation in FIG. 3 at the left side of the figure.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the mechanism on top of the machine of FIG. 1 showing its relationship to the drupe holder therebelow, part of the latter being shown.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the peach clamping mechanism of the machine.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an end view of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 9, 10 as seen from the right side of the figure.

FIG. 12 is a semi-diagrammatic view of the cam and cam follower that locks and unlocks the clamps that hold the drupe during a clamping and pitting operation.

3,141,483 Patented July 21, 1964 "ice FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the peach clamping mechanisms separate from the machine.

FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 show successive steps in the pitting operation commencing with FIG. 14 and ending with FIG. 16.

In describing the pitter, its front side is the side shown in FIG. 1, and the rear side is the side shown in FIG. 2, hence the words front, forward, rear, rearwardly, and other words of similar import will designate parts or movements as related to said sides.

The pitter illustrated comprises a frame, generally designated 1. The front and rear sides shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are vertically disposed, and any suitable housing (not shown) may be provided to enclose or cover working parts that do not require exposure.

A generally vertically extending feed arm 2 (FIG. 3) is at the front side of the frame or pitter, which arm is secured at its lower end to a horizontal shaft 3. This shaft is rotatably mounted on the forward end of a bracket 4 that is secured to and projects forwardly from the lower front side of frame 1.

The upper end of arm 2 carries a drupe support generally designated 5, and on which a drupe is adapted to be positioned by an operator for carrying said drupe by said support to the drupe halving and pitting mechanism.

The support 5 comprises a pair of similar opposed, horizontally spaced members 7 (FIGS. 3, 7) in parallel side by side relation that have their rear ends adjacent to the forward side of the pitting mechanism. The forward ends of members 7 include upstanding portions 8, and said portions 7, 8 are complementarily formed on their opposed surfaces to generally conform to the contour of the forward and under surfaces of a peach or drupe, such as indicated in dot-dash lines at 9 in FIG. 3. A drupe positioned on the members 7 rearwardly of portions 8, will be automatically centered on the feeder by reason of the upper surfaces of members 7 being divergent (FIG. 7) in an upward direction relative to each other while the rearwardly facing surfaces of portions 8 extend divergently forwardly relative to each other.

A horizontal pivot 10 (FIGS. 3, 7) pivotally supports a vertically extending drupe engaging element 11 between the forward ends of portions-7. This element is forked at its upper end, and a cutting blade 12 is secured stationarily as at 6 to members 7 between the latter with the upper end forwardly facing edges of the blade being sharpened to cut through the skin and flesh of a drupe, substantially to its pit as will later be explained. This blade is preferably apertured and therethrough a pivot 6 extends, and a sleeve 14 on said pivot at each opposite side of the blade will be punched against the blade 12 to hold it rigid in any desired adjusted position when the pivot is tightened (FIG. 7) said pivot being a bolt, one end of which is threaded into the member 7 that is at the side opposite to the bolt head.

The member 7 is formed with a downwardly projecting shank that is adapted to be secured to the upper ends of the arm 2-by a bolt 15, said shank being vertically slotted to enable adjustment of the support 5 on the bolt, and a helical spring 15' connects the lower end of member 11 with the arm 2 at a point spaced below the upper ends of the forked upper end of arm 2.

From the foregoing explanation it will be seen that the member 11 is swingable relative to blade 12 and will be yieldably held in an upstanding position at the rear ends 1 of the portions 7 of the support 5.

Thus the member 11 will function as a yieldable stop for the drupe 9 at the rear ends of the members 7, and the upstanding portion will swing rearwardly under the resistance of the drupe to pass below the latter 3 after the drupe has been carried rearwardly to the pitter mechanism and is held by the latter while the support 5 returns for receiving. another drupe, and on such return, the blade 12 will cut through the skin and flesh of the drupe at its lower side in a vertical plane bisecting the drupe.

Secured to the end of shaft 3 that is opposite to the arm 2, is one end of a crank arm 16 pivotally connected with the lower end of a vertically extending connecting rod 17. The upper end of rod 17 is pivotally connected with the outer end of an adjustable crank arm 18 (FIG. 1) that is adjustable on the forward end of a shaft 19. This crank arm 18 is adapted to be secured on shaft 19 in any desired position around the shaft by any con ventional means, such as a bolt 20 (FIG. 1) to enable proper timing of the support 5 with the pitting mechanism. As seen in FIG. 1 the shaft 19 is one of a pair of horizontally positioned shafts journalled for rotation in frame 1 and the other shaft is designated 21 and is at the left side as seen in FIG. 1 while shaft 19 is at the right-hand side.

Each of the shafts has one of the pit engaging members secured thereto, and as these are the same in struc ture, except for a right and left-hand member, they will bear the same numbers.

Each pit engaging member is numbered 22 and comprises a claw-like member that is rigid with, and that projects outwardly of the outer end of an arm 23. (FIGS. 1, 3) that, in turn, is adjustably secured on each of the shafts 19, 21.

Said pit engaging members 22 extend substantially radially outwardly of shafts 19, 21 and the arms 23 are adjustable on shafts 19, 21 to enable timing the positions of the pit engaging members relative to the pits that are to be removed and that are carried by other means to points where the claw-like members will engage the pits and will remove them in cooperation with the movement of the drupe halves.

In operation, the shaft 19, as seen in FIG. 1 rotates clockwise while shaft 21 rotates counterclockwise, consequently the pit engaging members 22 move clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively, with the said members having the pointed outer ends thereof directed generally away from each other at the top of their arcs of movement.

In FIG. 2 is is seen that a gear 25 is secured on shaft 19 at the rear side of frame 1. The teeth of gear 25 are in mesh with the teeth on a gear 26 of the same size that is secured on shaft 21. This gear 26 may be connected with a conventional motor through any suitable and conventional gear chain and belt or chain connections, such as gears 27, 28, 29, pulley 30, are supported on frame 1, and a belt 31 extending from said pulley to a motor or gear box. There is nothing novel in the driving connection.

By reason of rotation of shaft 19 the feed arm is oscillated through an arc from the drupe receiving position shown in FIG. 3 to the right, or rearwa'rdly, t0 the drupe delivering position in which the drupe is positioned between a pair of spaced opposed drupe holders 36 (FIG. 1).

These drupe holders 36 are formed with spaced 0pposed surfaces that may be of generally shallow V shape in horizontal cross sectional contour (FIG. 8) so as to center the drupe between them when they engage the opposite sides of the drupe.

Each holder is carried on the lower end of an arm 37 (FIG. 3) that depends from a fork 38 that, in turn, is secured to the forward end of a horizontal shaft 39. Each shaft 39, in turn, is journalled for rotation in the frame 1, and the rear end of one shaft 39 is centrally secured to a rocker arm 40 (FIG. 2) while the rear end of the other shaft 39 is secured to one end of a laterally outwardly opening fork 41. It should be noted that the positions a drupe nected with one end of a horizontally extending rod 44, the other end of which rod 44 is pivotally connected with one side of frame 1. A helical spring 45 connects rod 44 with frame 1 for yieldably urging the rod 44 downwardly. The pivot joining rods 43, 44 car- 'ries a cam follower 46 that rides on a cam 47, which cam, in turn, is adjustably secured by a bolt 43 extending through an arcuate slot 49 in the cam 47 to a side of gear 26 for adjustment of its outer peripheral cam surface to different positions, as desired about the shaft 21. Thus spring 45 will function to yieldably hold the follower 46 against the outer peripheral cam surface of cam 47, and the action of the cam 47 and follower 46 will oscillate shafts 39 to move the drupe holders 36 apart to an open position for receiving a drupe 9 therebetween when the support 5 carries a drupe to a position for holding by said holders. However, once a drupe is between said holders, and the cam 47 moves to permit the holders to close on the drupe, the spring 45 will yieldably retain the holders in engagement with the opposite sides of the drupe, thereby enabling the holders to yieldably engage, with equal efficiency, drupes of different sizes. The cam 47 will, however, function to limit the movement of the holders toward each other, since a vertically reciprocable rod 52 (FIG. 1) will move downwardly at timed intervals to push a drupe downwardly from between said holders 36 to a position between a pair of drupe clamps that will hold the drupe halves against a pair of bisecting blades as will later be explained.

In the operation up to this point, the operator first 9 on the support 5. The drupe is preferably oriented on the feeder so its suture is in a vertical plane with that of the cutter or blade 12. The drupe is positioned against the upstanding forward projections 8 of the support and may be yieldably held there by the element 11 at the rear side of the drupe. The stem indent is directed upwardly.

The support 5 moves rearwardly carrying the drupe to a position between holders 36 and the drupe is yieldably clamped between the holders 36, the latter moving toward each other to so hold the drupe. While the drupe is so held, the support 5 moves forwardly back to its forward, drupe receiving position. On its return travel forwardly, the element 11 automatically swings downwardly against the resistance of spring 15 while the cutter 12 slits the lower side of the drupe substantially to the pit. Thus the drupe, at the time it is ready to be pushed downwardly to complete bisection of its flesh, has already been cut substantially to the pit on its lower side, leaving the flesh at the ends and upper side of the drupe to be disected. The stem end, it is to be noted, is uppermost at this point.

The rod 52 may be likened to a plunger that moves vertically downwardly to push the drupe downwardly from between the holders 36. The lower end of rod 52 carries a foot 53 (FIGS. 1, 3) having a pair of horizontally aligned downwardly directed cutting blades 54 projecting downwardly from its underside. These blades, as they descend into the upper side of a drupe will cut the flesh in the same plane as the cut performed by blade 12 on the lower side of the drupe and will descend past the stem end of the pit, so that said end may enter the space between said blades. The adjacent edges of the blades 54, as best seen in FIG. 3, may extend convergently upwardly, which permits alignment of the stem end of the pit between the blades should the drupe, such as a peach,

be offset slightly relative to the vertical axis of the plunger or rod 52.

An upstanding bracket 56 (FIG. 1) secured on upper end of the frame 1, is provided with a pair of vertically aligned and vertically spaced bearings 57 that support the rod 52 for vertical reciprocation of said plunger.

Between bearings 57 a block 58 (FIG. 1) is secured to the rod 52, and a pair of corresponding vertically disposed links 59, carried on coaxial upper horizontal pivots 60 are swingably connected at their upper ends with said block.

These links 59 are pivotally connected at their lower ends with the outer ends of a pair of corresponding arms 61 (FIGS. 1, 8) which arms are rigidly connected at their opposite inner ends with a block 62 that is swingable on a horizontal shaft 63 carried by bearings supported by a bracket 64 that is secured on a portion of frame 1.

A vertically extending rod 66 (FIGS. 1, 8) is pivotally connected at its upper end with block 62. The lower end of rod 66 is pivotally connected at 67 (FIG. 1) with the outer end of an arm 68, the inner end of which is adjustably secured on the forward end of a shaft 69. Shaft 69 is journalled for rotation in frame 1, and its inner end at the rear side of the frame is secured to one end of an arm 70 (FIG. 2). The opposite end of arm 70 carries a cam follower 71 that rides in a cam track 72 in gear 26.

By the above structure the vertical reciprocable movement of rod 66 will cause rod 52 to be vertically reciprocated in time with the movement of the drupe holders 36 and support 5 to push the drupe downwardly from between said holders 36 when the support 5 moves forwardly to receive another drupe. At this time, of course, the support 5 is clear of the drupe held between holders 36.

FIG. 9 shows a side elevational view of one of a pair of bisecting blades 75, 76, there being two such pairs. (FIG. is a top plan view showing both blades of one pair.) Each pair is disposed in a common vertical plane and the blades of each pair are spaced apart to leave a passageway 77 (FIG. 10) between them for passage of the pit of the drupe.

FIGS. 1, 5 show the front edge views of the near blade of each of the two pairs and FIG. 10 is a top plan view of one of the castings mounting one of the pairs of blades, but both pairs of blades are indicated, and the drupe is indicated in dotted lines at 9 with the pit 9 in the passageway 77.

These blades 75, 76 are together as indicated in FIGS. 1, 5 and 10 when the plunger rod 52 descends and pushes the drupe downwardly, and the plunger pushes each drupe a sufficient distance downwardly so that its uppermost surface is slightly below the upper edges of the blades 75, 76 as indicated in dotted lines at 9 in FIG. 1. By leaving a passageway between the blades 75, 76 of each pair thereof, there will be nothing on the blades to engage the lower edge or end of the pit irrespective of how large the pit may be. It has already been shown that the blade 12 on the support 5 will cut the lower side of the drupe, and since blades 75, 76 cut the drupe in the same plane as blade 12 and at opposite sides of the drupe after the blades 54 on foot 53 of plunger rod 52 have cut the upper portion of the drupe, it will be seen that the flesh of the drupe has been bisected completely around the pit by the time the plunger rod 52 has reached the lower end of its stroke, and this is done without rotating the fruit or any of the cutters or blades.

Blades 75, 76 of each pair thereof are secured on the ends of a pair of arms 78 (FIG. 10) of a casting generally designated 79. Castings 79, there being two such castings, with the arms 78 of one pair directed toward the arms of the other pair are supported so that the blades 75 and the blades 76 may be positioned in face to face engaging relation as seen in FIG. 1.

Castings 79 are secured on the forward ends of a pair of horizontal shafts 81, 82 (FIG. 1). These shafts are journalled for rotation in frame 1, and extend to the rear side of the latter where they have gear segments 83, 84

respectively mounted thereon (PEG. 2), said segment 83 being on shaft 81, and segment 84 being on shaft 82.

Segments 33, 84 have their teeth in mesh and are adjustably secured on the shafts 81, 82 by means of studbolts 85 that respectively extend through an arcuate slot in each segment and into an extension 87 (FIG. 3) on a hub secured on each of the shafts 81, 82.

The shafts 81, 82 and the castings 79 are respectively so positioned and formed that the blades 75, 76 will be in the position seen in FIG. 1 when the segments 83, 84 are in the position shown in FIG. 2.

An arm 89 (FIG. 2) is pivotally connected at 90 at one of its ends to gear segment 84 at a point eccentric to shaft 82, and the other end of said arm is formed with a slot 91 extending longitudinally thereof, through which an extension of shaft 19 extends. This extension carries a roller 92 (FIG. 3) that is in slot 91. A nut 93 and washer on the outer end of said extension holds the roller in said slot and between a shoulder of shaft 19 at its juncture with said extension.

Secured to arm 89 at a point intermediate its ends is a short stub shaft having a cam follower 95 thereon, which follower rides in a cam track 96 (FIGS. 2, 3) that is formed in the rearwardly facing side of a cam 97. The rear end of shaft 19 rotatably extends through cam 97 and a studbolt 98 offset to one side of said shaft extends through an arcuate slot 99 in cam 97 and into gear 25, thus adjustably securing the cam to said gear.

The adjustability of cam 97, gear segments 83, 84, and other cams, such as earns 47, 72 enables correct timing of the various operating parts of the machine.

Upon rotation of the gear 25, the rotation of cam 97 that is secured thereto will result, through the connection between segment 84 and arm 89 in an oscillatory movement of the gear segments, and consequently of shafts 81, 82 that carry the blades 75, '76. The latter being oscillated between the position shown in FIG. 5; in which they are together, and in FIG. 6, in which they are substantially coplanar in a horizontal plane and widely spaced apart.

Journalled for rotation in frame 1 is a pair of parallel shafts 101, 102 (FIG. 2) that are disposed between the pair of shafts 81, 82 and shafts 19, 21. Each shaft has a gear 103 secured thereto, said gears having their teeth in mesh, and a gear 104 secured on shaft 19 has its teeth in mesh with the teeth on one of gears 103 on shaft 102.

On the forward end of each shaft 102 and 101 and at the forward side of frame 1, is a pin 105 that is eccentrically positioned relative to the axis of each shaft (FIGS. 1, 5, 6). Each eccentric pin 105 extends into a generally vertically extending slot 106 formed in the lower end of each of a pair of vertically extending cam levers 107, 108. Cam levers 107, 108 are respectively pivotally supported on frame 1 on pivots 109 (FIG. 3). By this structure it will be seen that the lever arms 107, 108 will be oscillated toward and away from each other at their lower ends upon rotation of shafts 101, 102 and the consequent movement of eccentric pins 105.

Each casting 79 is like the other, except one is at the right-hand, as seen in FIG. 1, and the other is at the left hand. Hence only one need be described in detail, which will be the one secured on shaft 62.

FIG. 10 shows a top plan view of the casting itself and the elements carried thereby.

In the full line position of the assembly shown in FIGS. 9, 10, the blades 75, 76 would be in a position as shown in FIG. 1 for receiving a drupe 9. The arms 78 (FIGS. 1, 9, 10) of each pair thereof are rigid with a block 111, that, in turn, is secured rigidly on a shaft 112. Shaft 112 is rotatably supported in bearings 113 (FIG. 10) that are on casting '79 at opposite ends of block 111, and said shaft 112 has an extension 114 (FIG. 10) at its rear end, or at the end thereof nearest to frame 1. Extension 114 has an arm 115 rigid therewith projecting laterally therefrom. Said arm 115 carries a cam follower 116 at its outer end. This cam follower is adapted to engage the cam lever 107 at the lower end of the latter just below the terminating lower end of the arcuate surface 117 on cam lever 107 (FIG. 6) when the casting 79 swings the blades 75, 76 toward the position shown in FIG. 5. Each of the cam levers 107, 108 has an arcuate laterally facing surface that is directed toward the casting 79 adjacent thereto, and arcuate surfaces 117 are concentric with the axes of shafts 81, 82 respectively. When the cam follower 116 engages cam lever 107, arm 115 will be swung to positively swing the peach clamp, generally designated 118 away from the blades 75, 76 adjacent thereto to free a drupe half that said clamp had been holding against said blades.

Each peach clamp 118 is carried by a block 111 hereabove mentioned as being rigid, but adjustably, secured on shaft 112.

Each clamp is formed on its rear side with a pair of vertically disposed, spaced, opposed ribs 119; the rear side being the side that faces away from the other clamp of the pair thereof that is generally in opposed relation thereto, while the forward side of each clamp is the side that engages one of the sides of the drupe.

The block 111 also has a pair of extensions 120 (FIG. 9) that extend downwardly past ribs 119 at the rear side of clamp 11% for pivotal connection with ribs 119 by a pivot 121, and this same pivot 121, pivotally connects with the forward end of a generally horizontally extending arm 122 (FIG. 9), which forward end may extend between ribs 119.

Spaced above and rearwardly of pivot 121 is another pivot 123, that pivotally connects with the forward end of a generally horizontally extending arm 124.

A horizontal bearing 126 at the rear side of casting 79 (FIG. has a forwardly projecting portion 127 that extends between a pair of rearwardly extending vertically opposed ears 128, and a vertical pivot 129, connects said portion 127 with said ears for horizontal swinging of said bearing.

A shaft 130 (FIG. 10) is carried by bearing 126, and the rear end of said shaft that is adjacent to frame 1 carries a cam follower 131 (FIG. 10). This cam follower rides on the outer arcuately extending peripheral surface of a cam 132 that is rigidly but adjustably secured to frame 1.

The outer surface of cam 132 is concentric with the axis of shaft 82 about which casting 79 is adapted to swing, and extends through slightly more than 90.

In FIG. 12 the dotted positions indicate cam follower 131 in different positions on cam 132. In this figure it will be seen that there are two slightly elevated portions on the cam track on cam 132 on which cam follower 131 rides. One portion 135 is at one end of the cam track, while the other portion 136 is at the other end of the cam track. Between these two portions the cam track is relieved, and it is also relieved at the end of the cam track that is 135 which is remote from portion 136. This will be explained later on.

The arm 122 that pivotally connects at one end thereof with pivot 121 that, in turn, is on the lower end of the drupe clamp 118, is pivotally connected at its opposite end by a pivot 139 with the lower end of a generally vertically or upwardly extending arm 138. A helical spring 137 connects the outward end of arm 122 with a projection 134 that is rigid with casting 79.

Casting 79 also carries a bearing 140 (FIG. 10) at the end thereof that also carries bearing 126. A pivot 141 is secured on bearing 140 and an extension 142 of said pivot, pivotally connects with the upper end of arnr 138 (FIG. 9).

Spaced below pivot 141 is a bolt 142 that is threaded through a wall in casting 79 (FIG. 11), and a lock nut 143 on said bolt locks it in adjusted position. A locking shoe 144 is rigid with bolt 143 at a point closely alongside the arm 124. This arm 124 is the one that is above the arm 122 just described, and arm 124 is formed with a slot 147 extending longitudinally thereof into which an axial extension 145 (FIG. 11) on bolt 142 extends.

The bearing block 126 has a locking plate 146 integral therewith closely alongside arm 138 and arm 138 is slidable on pivots 139 and 141. Upon the locking plate 146 swinging against arm 138 it will urge arms 124, 138 tightly together and against locking shoe 144 to lock the said arms 124, 138 against movement. This same locking of arms 124, 138 will occur when cam follower 131 is in the elevated portion 135 of the cam 132.

Referring back to the clamp 118, the drupe engaging side of said clamp is virtually in two sections, namely; an upper section 148 and a lower section 149 (FIG. 13).

These peach engaging faces on the clamp carried on shaft 82 are the same as on the clamp carried on shaft 81, and said faces are in opposedly facing relation spaced below the piunger rod 59 and at the oppositely outwardly facing sides of the pairs of bisecting blades 75, 76.

The upper sections 148 of the pair of opposed drupe clamps extend divergently relative to each other in an upward direction, and are generally concave in horizontal contour. Thus a peach or drupe pushed downwardly by the rod 52 will be guided to a position between the clamps and they may spread apart to permit the drupe to pass to a position between the lower sections, and the drupe engaging faces of these lower sections, as seen in FIG. 13, are generally concave in vertical contour to generally follow the contour of a generally spherical drupe, and are generally V-shaped in horizontal contour to center the drupe. When the drupe is clamped between sections 149 it is held against movement relative to the clamps.

At the commencement of an operation, an operator will position a freestone peach, for example, on the supportS (FIG. 3) between the upward projection 8 and the upwardly projecting end of member 11. Upon rearward movement of support 5, this peach will be carried to a position between drupe holders 36 which will be swung, through actuation of rod 44 (FIG. 2) and under the influence of spring 45 to yieldably hold the peach. Support 5 will then immediately move forwardly to its original peach receiving position and the member 11 will swing down to clear the peach while blade 12 on the support will cut the skin and flesh of the underside of the peach in the plane in which the flesh of the peach is to be bisected.

The pusher rod 52 will then quickly descend under the influence of cam track 72 and follower 71 to push the peach downwardly onto blades 75, 76 the two pairs of which are in face to face engaging relation as seen in FIG. 5.

The pairs of blades 75, 76 will bisect the flesh of the peach at opposite vertical sides, and the cutters 54 on the head 53 at the lower end of the pusher rod will cut the upper side of the peach at opposite sides of the stem end, it being understood that the peach is manually oriented on the support 5 to deliver it between holders 36 with the stem end uppermost.

Thus it will be seen that the peach flesh is virtually bisected when the peach is pushed downwardly onto blades 75, 76.

The castings 79 will have been swung to the position shown in FIG. 5 when the peach is at the lower end of its movement under the influence of the pusher rod 52, and this rod will have pushed the peach to a position in which its uppermost surface is below the upper edges of the blades 75, 76 as is seen in FIG. 5.

This movement of the castings 79 will carry the peach clamps to peach clamping relation in which the cam follower 131 is in position 150 (FIG. 12) and is substantially adjoining the high portion 135 of cam 132,

'hence the peach clamps will be held against the peach under the influence of the springs 137 (FIG. 9). However, as the castings "I? start swinging downwardly the'cam followers 131 will ride to position 151 in FIGURE 12 and the locking plate 146 and locking shoe 144 will lock the peach clamps to positively hold the peach halves against the pairs of bisecting blades as the halves are separated from the pit.

As soon as the halves of the peach are separated the cam followers 131 may move to the relieved portions of the cam tracks on cams 132, and springs 137 will be adequate to hold them, but when the peach halves reach the positions shown in FIG. 14, which is shortly before the position of the castings 79 as seen in FIG. 6, the cam followers 131 will each be at the position 152 (FIG. 12) and again the peach clamps 118 will be locked, so there can be no relative movement between the peach halves and the blades when the pit engaging members 22 enter the peach halves at the stem end of the pit. Normally the pit will be in only one of the halves, but there can be no predicting which of the halves will carry it. In instances where the pit may split, each half of the body may carry half of the pit. In any event the pit engaging members 22 will both be actuated.

FIG. 15 illustrates the relative positions between the members 22 and the pit as the blades continue their movement after a member 22 has engaged the pit, and it will be seen that the blossom end of the pit is pushed out of the pit cavity ahead of the stem end, and FIG. 16 illustrates the pit in a position clear of the peach half. This is the position shown in FIG. 6.

During movement of the pit engaging members as seen in FIGS. 14, 15, 16 the peach halves will be positively locked, and they will remain locked during the return movement of the casting 79 and blades 75, '76 until each cam follower 131 rides off the high portion 136 of cam 132 (FIG. 12) and reaches the position 153. When the cam follower 131 reaches the position 153 on the return movement of the casting, each peach clamp will again be held under the influence of a spring 137, but in the meantime the cam levers 107, 108 will move to positions, under the influence of eccentric pins 155 (FIG. 6) to carry the shoulders 155 (FIG. 6) at the juncture between each curved face 117 and the portion therebelow to positions in which the cam follower 116 (FIG. 10) will engage said shoulder, and this engagement will result in rotating the shafts 114 that carry the peach clamps so as to positively swing the clamps away from the peach halves to release the latter.

After the halves have been released, cam followers 131 will ride back over portions 135 on cams 132 to the starting position in which said followers are in positions 150 (FIG. 12). The starting position is also illustrated in full line in FIG. 4 wherein the relationship between the holding device, cam follower 131 and cam 132 is shown.

It should be noted that, in the present instance, the peach clamps are swingable about pivots 121 so that they may adjust themselves to the peaches and they are free to make this adjustment until the cam followers 131 move onto the high portions 135 of cam 132.

Also, when the cam 131 moves onto the high portions 135 or 136, the peach clamps are positively locked.

We claim:

1. In a pitter for freestone drupes, the combination of; bisecting means for bisecting the flesh of a freestone drupe in one plane substantially to the pit thereon at two opposite sides of the latter; clamping means at two opposite sides of said bisecting means supported for movement into engagement with the outer surfaces of the halves of a drupe at opposite sides of said bisecting means; clamp supporting means supporting said clamping means for said movement thereof, and clamp moving means connected with said clamping means for so moving the latter into said engagement with said outer surfaces; said clamping means comprising a pair of clamping members; means pivotally supporting each of said members on said clamp supporting means for pivotal movement of said clamping means relative to each other and to the drupe to be engaged thereby to enable each of said members to automatically adjust itself to irregularities in said outer surfaces of a drupe with said outer surfaces; and clamp locking means operatively connected with said clamping members actuatable for movement for locking said clamping members against movement relative to said outer surfaces after said clamping members have been moved by said clamp moving means into said engagement with said outer surfaces, said bisecting means comprising two pairs of planar cutting blades in face to face engagement with the blades of each pair spaced apart to cut through the flesh of a drupe at said two opposite sides of said pit thereon and to permit passage of said pit between the blades of each pair; one of said clamping members being adjacent to each pair of said blades for holding a drupe half against each pair of blades when a drupe is impaled on said pairs of blades with its pit between said pairs; means connecting and supporting the blades of each pair for movement as a unit together with the clamping member adjacent thereto, and clamp and blade supporting means movable with and supporting said pairs of blades and said drupe clamping means respectively adjacent thereto for movement of one pair of said blades away from the other pair together with the clamping means respectively adjacent to said pairs of blades; said clamp locking means being actuated for said movement thereof for locking the latter against said outer surfaces by said movement of said clamp and blade supporting means for moving one pair of said blades and the clamping member adjacent thereto in a direction away from the other pair and the clamping member adjacent to the latter.

2. In a pitter for freestone drupes, the combination of; bisecting means for bisecting the flesh of a freestone drupe in one plane substantially to the pit thereon at two opposite sides of the latter; clamping means at two opposite sides of said bisecting means supported for movement into engagement with the outer surfaces of the halves of a drupe at opposite sides of said bisecting means; clamp supporting means supporting said clamping means for said movement thereof, and clamp moving means connected with said clamping means for so moving the latter into said engagement with said outer surfaces; said clamping means comprising a pair of clamping members; means pivotally supporting each of said members on said clamp supporting means for pivotal movement of said clamping means relative to each other and to the drupe to be engaged thereby to enable each of said members to automatically adjust itself to irregularities in said outer surfaces of a drupe with said outer surfaces; and clamp locking means operatively connected with said clamping members actuatable for movement for locking said clamping members against movement relative to said outer surfaces after said clamping members have been moved by said clamp moving means into said engagement with said outer surfaces, said bisecting means comprising two pairs of planar cutting blades in face to face engagement with the blades of each pair spaced apart to cut through the flesh of a drupe at said two opposite sides of said pit thereon and to permit passage of said pit between the blades of each pair; one of said clamping members being adjacent to each pair of said blades for holding a drupe half against each pair of blades when a drupe is impaled on said pairs of blades with its pit between said pairs; means connecting and supporting the blades of each pair for movement as a unit together with the clamping member adjacent thereto, and clamp and blade supporting means movable with and supporting said pairs of blades and said drupe clamping means respectively adjacent thereto for movement of one pair of said blades away from the other pair together with the clamping means respec tively adjacent to said pairs of blades; said clamp locking means being actuated for said movement thereof for locking the latter against said outer surfaces by said movement of said clamp and blade supporting means for moving one pair of said blades and the clamping member adand the clamping member adjacent to the latter, said clamping members and the pairs of blades respectively adjacent thereto being supported by said clamp and blade supporting means for movement from a position in which said pairs of blades and the drupe halves held thereagainst by said clamping members are spaced apart to said face to face engaging relation of said pairs of blades; and means on said clamp and blade supporting means respec tively actuated by movement of said pairs of blades to said face to face engagement thereof actuating said locking means for movement thereof to unlock said clamping members and for swinging said clamping members away from the pairs of blades respectively adjacent thereto.

3. In a freestone drupe pitter; a stationary frame; two pairs of drupe bisecting cutters and clamps adapted to hold a drupe half between the cutter and clamp of each pair with the drupe pit connected with and between said halves; each cutter comprising a pair of coplanar, spaced, cutting blades having adjacent spaced edges extending in generally the same direction defining the sides of an elongated, open ended slot; the said blades of said pairs being in face to face engagement with said edges of one pair in register with the said edges of the other pair; blade supporting means on said frame connected with each pair of blades supporting each pair of blades for movement away from the other pair in a direction transversely of the planes in which said pairs of blades are positioned; blade moving means connected with said pairs of blades for so moving them apart to substantially spaced relation; pit engaging means supported on said frame for movement into one end of each of said slots and toward the other end thereof for engaging one end of a pit in the pit cavity of either of said halves when said pairs of blades are in said spaced relation; and means supporting said pit engaging means for said movement thereof; and means connected with said pit engaging means for so moving the latter.

4. In a freestone drupe pitter; a stationary frame; two pairs of drupe bisecting cutters and clamps adapted to hold a drupe half between the cutter and clamp of each pair with the drupe pit connected with and between said halves; each cutter comprising a pair of coplanar, spaced, cutting blades having adjacent spaced edges extending in generally the same direction defining the sides of an elongated, open-ended slot; the said blades of said pairs being in face to face engagement with said edges of one pair in register with the said edges of the other pair; blade supporting means on said frame connected with each pair of blades supporting each pair of blades for movement away from the other pair in a direction transversely of the planes in which said pairs of blades are positioned; blade moving means connected with said pairs of blades for so moving them apart to substantially spaced relation; pit engaging means supported on said frame for movement into one end of each of said slots and toward the other end thereof for engaging one end of a pit in the pit cavity of either of said halves when said pairs of blades are in said spaced relation; and means supporting said pit engaging means for said movement thereof; and means connected with said pit engaging means for so moving the latter, means pivotally supporting each of said clamps on said blade supporting means for movement therewith and for pivotal movement about an axis adjacent to and parallel with the blade adjacent thereto and against which each clamp is adapted to hold one-half of a drupe whereby each clamp will adjust itself to the outer contour of the half adapted to be engaged thereby, and means respectively on said frame and said blade supporting means actuatable by movement of said blade supporting means for locking said clamps against the outer surfaces of the drupe halves and against said pivotal movement of said clamps upon movement of said pairs of blades to said spaced relation.

5. In a freestone drupe pitter adapted to bisect the body of a drupe substantially to the pit thereof including drupe bisecting means and clamping means adapted to hold a drupe half against said bisecting means with the pit in said drupe half exposed; a stationary pitter frame member; a body; a horizontally extending shaft rigidly secured to said body rotatably carried by said frame member for oscillatory movement, said bisecting means being rigid with said body for movement therewith from a vertical drupe receiving position at one end of said oscillatory movement to a horizontal pit removing position at the other end of said oscillatory movement of said body; said drupe bisecting means being adapted to bisect the flesh of a drupe substantially to the pit thereof at two opposite sides of said pit and to support the cut face of one-half of said drupe thereagainst; a clamp; clamp supporting means supporting said clamp on said body for swinging said clamp toward and against the outer convex surface of a drupe half having its cut face against said bisecting means from a position spaced from said drupe half and vice versa; pivot means mounting said clamp on said clamp supporting means for pivotal movement of said clamp relative to said clamp supporting means; clamp locking means respectively connected with said clamp and with said body movable to locking relation upon movement of said bisecting means toward said pit removing position and at this latter position for locking said clamp against said pivotal movement and for movement with said body and bisecting means as a unit therewith; and means respectively on said body and said frame engageable with each other during said movement of and bisecting means toward said pit removing position for actuating said clamp locking means for so locking said clamp.

6. A drupe pitter, comprising; a stationary frame; two vertically spaced pairs of parallel, horizontally spaced shafts journalled in said frame for rotary movement of the shafts of each pair oppositely; the shafts of said two pairs being equally spaced at opposite sides of a medial vertical plane; means connected with the shafts of said upper pair thereof for oscillating them oppositely; a pair of horizontally spaced planar peach impaling blades parallel with said medial plane and in face to face engaging relation at opposite sides of said plane; means on the shafts of the upper pair thereof supporting a pair of said blades on each shaft of said upper pair for movement therewith between said face to face engaging peach impaling position at one end of the said oscillatory movement of the shafts of said upper pair and a peach pitting position in which said pairs of blades are generally horizontally disposed and horizontally spaced apart at the other end of said oscillatory movement of the shafts of said upper pair; means carried by each of the shafts of said upper pair for clamping half of a drupe impaled on said pairs of blades against each pair of said blades for movement therewith with the pit cavity of each drupe exposed downwardly through the space between the blades of each pair thereof when said pairs of blades are in said horizontally disposed position and a drupe half is clamped against each pair of blades; pit engaging means carried by the shafts of said lower pair for movement in opposite directions in circular paths upon rotation of said shafts of said lower pair oppositely; means connected with the shafts of said lower pair for rotating them oppositely; said lower pair of shafts being supported on said frame in positions for movement of said pit engaging means into the space between the respective pairs of blades carried by the shafts of said upper pair when said pairs of blades are generally horizontal for removing the pit from the pit cavity in the drupe half carrying said pit when said drupe halves are held against said pairs of blades.

7. A drupe pitter comprising; a stationary vertical frame; a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of parallel, horizontally spaced shafts journalled in said frame for rotation to provide an upper pair of shafts, a middle pair and a lower pair; the shafts of each of said pairs having forward ends projecting from one side of said frame and rear ends projecting from the opposite side of said frame; a pair of horizontally spaced, opposed peach holders connected with the forward ends of said upper pair of shafts for oscillatory movement between a peach engaging position at one end of said oscillatory movement and a peach receiving position at the opposite end of said oscillatory movement upon oscillating said upper shafts oppositely; peach bisecting cutter blades connected with said forward ends of said middle pair of shafts for oscillatory movement between vertical face to face engaging peach impaling position below said peach holders and substantially horizontally disposed relatively widely spaced pitting position upon oscillatory movement of said middle pair of shafts oppositely whereby a whole peach impaled on said cutters will be separated with onehalf against each cutter at said pitting position, and means carried by said middle pair of shafts movable with said cutters for holding each half against a cutter at said pitting position; pit engaging members on the forward portions of said lower pair of shafts engageable with a pit in one or the other of said halves upon rotation of said lower pair of shafts oppositely when said cutters are in said pitting position with a drupe half thereagainst; means connected with the rear end portions of the shafts of said upper middle and lower pair for so oscillating said upper and middle pair oppositely and for so rotating said lower pair oppositely in timed relation for removing the pit from one or the other of said halves, and vertically reciprocable means carried by said frame above said forward ends of said upper pair of shafts engageable with a peach held between said peach holders for moving it downwardly to impaling relation with said cutters when the latter are in said peach receiving position and when said last mentioned means is moved downwardly; and means connected with said last mentioned means for re ciprocating it vertically.

8. In a freestone drupe pitter having a stationary frame; drupe bisecting means on said frame adapted to bisect the flesh of said drupe in a vertical plane substantially to the pit in one plane at two opposite lateral sides of said drupe; upon movement of such drupe downwardly onto said bisecting means, a drupe carrier supported on said frame for generally oscillatory movement from a drupe receiving position at one side of said bisecting means to a drupe delivering position over said bisecting means and back again to said drupe receiving means; a cutter on said drupe carrier adapted to cut the flesh of a drupe in said plane at its lower side whereby the lower side of said drupe will be cut in said plane when carried to said delivering position; downwardly movable means carried by said frame adjacent to said delivering position movable into engagement with the upper side of a drupe carried to said delivering position by said carrier for moving said drupe downwardly onto said bisecting means; a cutter on said downwardly movable means adapted to cut the flesh of said drupe at its upper side and in said plane upon said downward movement, whereby the flesh of a drupe carried to said delivery position by said carrier and moved downwardly onto said bisecting means by said downwardly movable means will be completely bisected in said plane; means connected with said downwardly movable means for so moving it downwardly; means connected with said carrier for moving it to carry a drupe to said delivery position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,447,640 Dunn Aug. 24, 1948 2,772,711 Carroll Dec. 4, 1956 2,818,098 Perrelli Dec. 31, 1957 2,880,774 Perrelli Apr. 7, 1959 2,918,098 Keesling Dec. 22, 1959 2,962,068 Keesling Nov. 29, 1960 3,010,501 Anderson Nov. 28, 1961 

4. IN A FREESTONE DRUPE PITTER; A STATIONARY FRAME; TWO PAIRS OF DRUPE BISECTING CUTTERS AND CLAMPS ADAPTED TO HOLD A DRUPE HALF BETWEEN THE CUTTER AND CLAMP OF EACH PAIR WITH THE DRUPE PIT CONNECTED WITH AND BETWEEN SAID HALVES; EACH CUTTER COMPRISING A PAIR OF COPLANAR, SPACED, CUTTING BLADES HAVING ADJACENT SPACED EDGES EXTENDING IN GENERALLY THE SAME DIRECTION DEFINING THE SIDES OF AN ELONGATED, OPEN-ENDED SLOT; THE SAID BLADES OF SAID PAIRS BEING IN FACE TO FACE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID EDGES OF ONE PAIR IN REGISTER WITH THE SAID EDGES OF THE OTHER PAIR; BLADE SUPPORTING MEANS ON SAID FRAME CONNECTED WITH EACH PAIR OF BLADES SUPPORTING EACH PAIR OF BLADES FOR MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE OTHER PAIR IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY OF THE PLANES IN WHICH SAID PAIRS OF BLADES ARE POSITIONED; BLADE MOVING MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID PAIRS OF BLADES FOR SO MOVING THEM APART TO SUBSTANTIALLY SPACED RELATION; PIT ENGAGING MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME FOR MOVEMENT INTO ONE END OF EACH OF SAID SLOTS AND TOWARD THE OTHER END THEREOF FOR ENGAGING ONE END OF A PIT IN THE PIT CAVITY OF EITHER OF SAID HALVES WHEN SAID PAIRS OF BLADES ARE IN SAID SPACED RELATION; AND MEANS SUPPORTING SAID PIT ENGAGING MEANS FOR SAID MOVEMENT THEREOF; AND MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID PIT ENGAGING MEANS FOR SO MOVING THE LATTER, MEANS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING EACH OF SAID CLAMPS ON SAID BLADE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH AND FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS ADJACENT TO AND PARALLEL WITH THE BLADE ADJACENT THERETO AND AGAINST WHICH EACH CLAMP IS ADAPTED TO HOLD 